Domesticity: A Coalesce Short

Atlanta, Georgia

United States of America

May 2017

“I can’t understand how you’re able to like something with both mint and chocolate in it,” Aether muttered. She watched as Mathieu compared two pints of different brands and made a face, “If they’re separate, it’s fine. But having them together is another story altogether.”

“It’s chocolate with a kick,” he explained patiently, eventually choosing both pints and putting them into the shopping cart alongside the rest of their groceries. “A nice kick. Think of it like chocolate-flavored gum.”

“That’s still gross,” she sighed. Mathieu smirked her way and pushed the cart, the two of them checking out the different freezers full of ice cream. “You remind me of Lysette, honestly…she was also into those weird flavors. Like mint chocolate.”

“Remind me to high five her when she comes around.”

“Traitors.” Mathieu couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing the tone of her voice and watched her, seeing Aether slide the freezer door open and inspect the different flavors of ice creams. “If anything, though, having both of us like different flavors is an assurance that you won’t eat any of my food.”

“And mine yours.” The redhead made a face as Aether took two pints of the same flavor, “And you call my tastes weird.”

She cradled the two banana-flavored treats to her chest, “Shut up.”

When it came to groceries, it was Mathieu who did them most of the time. That was their system: while Aether would be off working for the day, Mathieu would settle different household chores to the best of his ability. Initially, Aether had insisted that she do part of it, but the other merely rejected her offers and told her that it was fine. He could handle it, he explained, it wasn’t like he was set to burn the apartment down.

(He wouldn’t, really.)

Mathieu did the groceries, paid the bills, cooked for both of them. Aether worked and cleaned on the weekends, the two occasionally switching jobs if needed. But that was how they worked together; and after months of living together, they had gotten used to it. He didn’t like to admit it, but settling for himself those years ago helped him build up his independence. It was help, if anything, some kind of blessing.

“You want anything more?”

“Coffee.”

“You got it, ma’am.” He pushed the cart and led them to the beverages aisle where Aether did a quick glance at the different brands presented. He couldn’t help but hold back a laugh upon watching her. His girlfriend swept the different products featured and he kept watching as she looked for her coffee. It took a couple of minutes until she came back to him with what she was looking for; on another hand, Mathieu was holding a box of teas. “Got them?”

“Mhm.” She tossed them into the cart and looked at him, “What’s next?”

“Let’s keep looking.”

She hated to admit it, but Mathieu was somehow better at this than she was. Back when she had lived by herself and joined Tadashi in grocery shopping for both their apartments, she usually clung to his arm and got whatever he got. Tadashi and Mathieu, if anything, knew what they were looking for. She barely understood the need to compare prices and compare quality if they were holding the same thing in their hands. If anything, what mattered was that they had something, at least.

The two bickered playfully as they went through the different aisles, checking out the commodities and taking whichever they wanted. Mathieu wanted crackers, Aether wanted cookies. He wondered if buying a new pack of toilet paper was excessive and she spent too much time judging the toothpaste brands and flavors. (“The green one is better than the white one,” she argued upon him telling her that it didn’t matter. “The white toothpaste is disgusting.”)

Eventually, both of them reached the produce section of the area and she backed away. Mathieu blinked upon seeing her form retreat slightly. “This is not my area of expertise.”

“What.”

“I can’t – fuck, I don’t understand produce.” She could hear the cogs in his head turn slowly, and Mathieu looked at her like she lost it. Aether inhaled, “Just. Just get the produce and let’s go.” Mathieu opened his mouth to speak until it clicked in his head. When it did, he had to stop and bury his face into his hand, muffling a poorly contained snicker. Aether’s face flushed. “Are you laughing at me–?”

“You don’t understand produce,” he managed, and her face blotched an even more embarrassed hue of red. “Jesus Christ babe, I’m sorry but this is fucking hilarious. You can’t handle produce,” he choked out before erupting into more snickers and laughs that she merely stood there and pouted, hands on her hips and staring him down until the laughter subsided. He looked a little pink as he looked at her again, grinning sheepishly at the expression on her face. “Okay, okay. I’m…okay. Let’s do this, baby.”

“Tell anyone about this and you’re dead,” she muttered darkly, and Mathieu grinned even more. His hand pulled at hers. “More dead than last night’s case.”

“I guess all this teasing isn’t producing a good effect–”

A slap to the shoulder. It stung a little, but he laughed anyway and held onto her hand a little tighter.

He never really let that go, her admission in the produce section. It sounded ridiculous and it was, honestly, but then he remembered how she had managed to live before even doing the grocery shopping with anyone else.

“Tad and I always did our groceries together,” she admitted. Both of them had decided to go to a quaint coffee shop on the way home. Mathieu watched her as she took a sip from her iced coffee, Aether humming in thought. “I took care of the easier ones. He handled the fruits, vegetables, produce…he was always the one who handled that part for me, to be honest.” Aether gave an embarrassed laugh yet sighed, “So…I never really learned for myself. Which is sad,” she added in a dry tone.

“You could have asked me to teach you.”

“I know. But…you know me. Too embarrassed.” She smiled slightly. “So I never really got the hang of it.” Mathieu watched as she took another sip from her drink, the male eventually reaching out to wipe something from her lips. Aether blinked and stared at him with a blush.

“You’re adorable, you know that? And I’m down to teach you, sweetheart. You’ve gotta know these things soon enough,” he chided gently. “It’s amusing though. Kickass investigator who freaks out at the thought of buying produce,” he teased, and Aether gave him a pout. “When do you want to start?”

“Next grocery shopping trip.” Aether reached out and poked him lightly on the nose, “Now I just want to get home and eat.”

“Got it, sweetheart.” He leaned across the table to kiss her forehead, “Next trip.”